FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Family-owned German investment group Haniel [FHANI.UL] said on Thursday that it had transferred a 7.3 percent stake in retailer Metro AG [B4B.DE] to a Czech-Slovak investor group, after receiving antitrust clearance.

Haniel said in a statement that competition watchdogs also allowed the transfer of a total of up to 22.5 percent of Metro shares to the EP Global Commerce vehicle of Daniel Kretinsky and Patrik Tkac, a planned deal announced in August.

“The transaction enables Haniel to further diversify and balance out its company portfolio”, Haniel Chief Executive Stephan Gemkow said.